Can I Get a Hollah For the Dala?

Lindsborg, Kansas is known as "Little Sweden," because it was settled by Swedish immigrants in the late 19th century.  The community embraces this heritage, and it's their love for the culture, as well as their passion for the arts, that makes Lindsborg one of the coolest little towns in the Midwest.

After our very majestic lunch, we went downtown and discovered that everything you lay eyes upon is either artsy fartsy or Swedish.  Loved it!

But first...coffee.  Mothers and Mongas alike need coffee after lunch in order to make them "happy."  Once we handled our addictions, we were then able to resume our tourist duties.  So where does one go after they have sipped their coffee?  Why, the local roastery down the street of course.  Blacksmith Coffee Roastery is a mircroroaster located inside one of the oldest buildings in town, and if you step inside, you can still see much of the original Blacksmith shop.  That and you get to smell the coffee.  History and coffee combined?  Heavenly.

Right outside the Blacksmith Roastery is a Swedish phone booth called the Tala Dala.  Because that makes perfect sense.

Then we were off!  There was artwork of all kinds to be seen and wild dala horses to find.

Tiles and ironwork adorned many walls along Main Street.

"The Chase" by Steve Allan Scott

 

"The Dude" by Mark and Wendy Rice

Oh the Wild Dalas.  In 2000, the city of Lindsborg decided to create a wild herd of Dalas to roam around the city.  Not only is it great fun finding each one, but the local artistry on each Dala is fabulous.  And don't tell Dale, but they were a great way to keep him walking down the street.

 

 

Each Dala represents a different theme involving history or the arts or local groups.  My favorites were "Salvador Dala" and "Hello, Dala!"  Yet, I certainly did adore "The Old Gray Dala Mare."  There was just something about it...

 

 

Searching for all those Dalas exhausted us.  There was only thing that could help keep us going.

 

Yes of course I got coffee!

 Recaffeinated and ready for round four hundred, we headed to the Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery.  An artist from Sweden, Sandzen immigrated to Kansas in 1894 and made Lindsborg his home.  I am drawn to his art.  Maybe it's because my Grandfather passed down Sandzen art to me, or maybe it's because Sandzen is a Kansan, or perhaps it is our connection to the Rocky Mountains that ties me to him.  In any case, I am drawn to Sandzen's work, and I was ecstatic to finally visit this gallery.

 

 

Fingers crossed that our children would remain happy and blissfully unaware that there were no toys at the museum, we quickly circled the gallery in search of art to refresh our souls.  Ahhhhh.  And it worked.

 

One of my favorite Birger Sandzen pieces, "Sunset" (Estes Park, Colorado) 1921

 

Hiding in the back of the gallery was a Henry Varnum Poor special exhibit.  Bonus!  I adore Henry Varnum Poor's work, and I had no idea he was born in Kansas until we visited this exhibit.

 

"Portrait of a Red-Headed Woman" 1937, Henry Varnum Poor

 

Inside a museum or out on the street, it doesn't matter.  There is art everywhere in Lindsborg.

 

 

 And there's some pretty fabulous architecture too.  Bethany Lutheran Church was built in 1879 and really is one of the prettiest little churches I've ever seen.  We just happened to be in Lindsborg on the day the freshman from Bethany College did their traditional walk from the church to the campus in order to honor the school's heritage.

 

 

A beautiful day!